MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
CBT focuses strictly on the business of legal cannabis for medical and recreational use and aims to provide timely information—through its website, e-newsletter, mobile app, print magazine and annual conference—to help the reader make timely, informed decisions to help them run their businesses better and more profitably. In 2018, Cannabis Business Times was named Magazine of the Year by the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
Millions of dollars in additional cannabis tax revenue could become available in Sacramento County, Calif., following this November’s election.
That’s because the county’s board of supervisors voted, 3-2, on July 26 to allow voters to decide the fate of a proposed ordinance that would tax cannabis and hemp business operations in unincorporated parts of the county. Since the proposal would authorize a new tax, it needs a two-thirds majority to pass. All voters in the county are eligible to cast ballots on the measure.
Should the ballot question pass, the board of supervisors would still hold the authority to establish (or not to establish) a regulated industry in the unincorporated parts of the county.
Currently, the county only allows cannabis businesses to operate within city limits, including Sacramento—California’s sixth-largest city of roughly 500,000 people.
Revenue generated from the tax would go solely toward funding Sacramento County’s homeless services, including those benefiting the American River Parkway—a 23-mile stretch that covers 4,800 acres and has been designated both a state and national wild and scenic river. The board of supervisors would not be able to divert the tax revenue elsewhere.
“I know local governing bodies want to maintain discretion over how they use funds, but to specifically dedicate these funds to deal with a crisis that is the biggest crisis this county probably ever faced, frankly, or any municipal body, I think is important,” District 3 Supervisor Rich Desmond said during the July 26 board meeting.
APOPKA, Florida, July 29, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Sanctuary Cannabis announced the opening of its 10th medical cannabis dispensary in Florida.
Continuing the company's statewide expansion, Sanctuary Boca Raton will be holding its grand opening celebration July 29. The fourth operational Sanctuary location in Palm Beach County and fifth in southeast Florida, the 2,500-square-foot facility formerly served as an office and retail space before being converted into a state-of-the-art dispensary following a full interior renovation planned and executed by Vantage Builders. It is located at 877 E Palmetto Park Blvd. at the end of the Boca Beach Shops shopping center, just a block from the beach.
"We're thrilled to be opening the first of two Sanctuary Cannabis locations here in the city of Boca Raton," said Jason Sidman, CEO of Sanctuary Medicinals. "Opening on East Palmetto Park Road and within walking distance of the city's beautiful beaches presents us a fantastic opportunity to establish a key foothold in a community that has limited dispensaries to serve patients. We're thrilled to get to know the Boca patient community and, in turn, provide them with our full complement of patient-oriented products and services."
The first Sanctuary Boca Raton location is now open on East Palmetto Park Road and less than a quarter mile from SR-A1A. Situated within walking distance from beach parking at 1S Ocean Blvd. and just a couple miles from the Florida Atlantic University campus, Sanctuary Boca Raton is geographically located between the Intracoastal waterway and the beach on Boca Raton's main commercial corridor. The second Boca dispensary, located further inland on Powerline Road is currently under construction and is scheduled to open later in the fall.
"We're excited to continue Sanctuary's Florida expansion with what is now the third consecutive opening that extends our footprint farther south," said Bill Dewar, chief operating officer. "Boca Raton is unique for us because it will be the first municipality where we have two operational locations. I'm eager to learn more about the community and its patients so we can smartly leverage both dispensaries to maximize our positive impact."
A gorand pening event will be held Friday, July 29, and Sanctuary Boca Raton will be keeping its usual hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Patients can stop in and shop throughout the day, and all patients–new or registered–will receive a 50% discount. Special guests and entertainment kick off at 4 p.m. and will conclude around 7 p.m. with DJ Duss returning once again to provide music and energy inside the dispensary. SpringBig will be handing out swag and educating patients on how to leverage their loyalty program and platforms. Miracle Leaf of Boca Raton will also be meeting with patients to hand out swag and answer questions about product offerings, registrations, renewals and more.
]]>Regulators took another step toward establishing Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis market July 28 when the state’s Social Equity Council approved five dispensary licenses.
The successful applicants will now be referred to the Department of Cannabis Protection for the next step in the licensing process, according to the Hartford Courant.
The state has not yet released the names of the successful applicants, the news outlet reported, but they will be identified after they advance to the Department of Consumer Protection.
The council ultimately denied one social equity retail application and approved a recommendation to reject nine applications due to ownership and control issues.
The Social Equity Council approved 16 adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses earlier this month.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PRESS RELEASE -- Legendary actor, rapper and New Jersey native Ice T is awarded approval for a recreational cannabis dispensary from the Jersey City board. Ice T has partnered with longtime friend and cannabis expert Charis B, founder of The Medicine Woman, a leading cannabis brand and dispensary.
Slated to open later this year, the new dispensary is one of the few approved by the notoriously rigorous Jersey City Cannabis Control Board, which establishes and enforces the rules and regulations governing the licensing, cultivation, testing, and selling. With a fashion forward aesthetic and excellence in branding The Medicine Woman Jersey City will include 5,000 square feet of premium retail space. Featuring the best of New Jersey cannabis brands, limited edition merch, education, and inspiration.
"I've dedicated my life and career to giving back and paving the way for minorities. As a New Jersey native, I'm excited for the opportunity legalization offers our community, and I look forward to ushering in a new era for cannabis in the state," said legendary rapper and actor Ice T. "I've partnered with my friend of over 25 years, Charis B who is an authority in cannabis and founder of The Medicine Woman to ensure a premium experience for our customers and community."
Minorities and people of color have been disproportionately affected by unjust marijuana prosecutions in New Jersey and beyond. In fact, in New Jersey Black people are three times more likely to be charged with marijuana possession than white counterparts. The Medicine Woman Jersey City is committed to sourcing staff from the local community and has partnered with several local charitable organizations. Inaugural partnerships include The Last Prisoner Project, Jersey City Mural and Arts Program, Jersey City Employment and Training Program, Hudson County Community College, with more to be announced.
"The Medicine Woman started as a California non-profit delivery service, giving back to our community has and will always be a priority to us. We are passionately devoted to providing access to safe, affordable and quality plant medicinal remedies," said Charis B, founder of the Medicine Woman. "Partnering with Ice T to bring The Medicine Woman to New Jersey is a meaningful extension of our mission, to provide Nothing But The Best."
The Medicine Woman Jersey City is slated to open fall of 2022 and is currently accepting applications for employment for a variety of positions. To apply, send your resume to HR@themedwoman.com, they are committed to sourcing a local workforce with a focus on providing opportunities for former cannabis offenders.
]]>WAKEFIELD, Mass., July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --PRESS RELEASE-- Curaleaf Holdings,Inc. (CSE: CURA / OTCQX: CURLF), a leading international provider of consumer cannabisproducts, announced today the opening of its Tampa Citrus Park dispensary,located at 10612 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL 33626. Curaleaf Tampa Citrus Parkexpands the Company's retail presence to six locations in Hillsborough Countyand 51 across the Sunshine State.
Located on Sheldon Road near Citrus Park, the 4,023 square foot locationfeatures a drive-thru that offers patients on-the-go access to the dispensary'swide array of offerings. Patients can access a premium selection of vaporizers,edibles, and whole flower products, including BlueKudu Chocolate, SelectSqueeze, Select X-Bites, Select Elite, Elite Live and Live Rosin vapecartridges, as well as other concentrates by Curaleaf.
"It is a pleasure to continue to expand access to medical cannabis inthe Sunshine State, specifically Hillsborough County," said Matt Darin,CEO of Curaleaf. "Curaleaf Tampa Citrus Park is our ninth drive-thru inFlorida, which enables our team to provide a more convenient and streamlinedretail cannabis experience."
]]>Cannabis Business Times regularly interviews cannabis cultivators to learn more about how they manage their growing operations, including top tips for success, tools and technologies they couldn’t live without, and how they deal with perennial challenges like burnout. In this installment, Anthony Romero, director of operations for Stratos in Pueblo West, Colo., explains what he learned moving from the pharmaceutical industry to managing commercial cannabis cultivation.
Name: Anthony Romero
Company: Stratos
Location: Pueblo West, Colo.
Title: Director of Operations
LAS VEGAS – July 29, 2022 – Cannabis Conference, the industry’s leading educational and expo event for plant-touching cannabis businesses, taking place Aug. 23-25 at Paris Las Vegas, is pleased to announce the Day 1 Keynote: “What It Takes to Make a Movement: A Conversation with Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris.”
Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris are legendary human rights activists, whose tireless work since the late 1980s has been instrumental in educating people around the world about the benefits of cannabis and hemp legalization.
Conrad has testified more than 350 times as an expert witness on cannabis cases in state, military and federal criminal and civil courts while consulting on thousands of legal cannabis cases. He portrayed “Johnny Marijuanaseed” on PBS, edited Jack Herer’s landmark book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” (1990) and was co-founder and first president of the Hemp Industries Association. Conrad authored “Hemp: Lifeline to the Future” (1993) detailing the economic, health and environmental processes of using cannabis hemp to “save the Earth,” as well as “Hemp for Health” (1997), which introduced readers to CBD, Ayurvedic ganja, hempseed nutrition and cannabinoid micro-dosing. He also published “Cannabis Yields and Dosage,” which used federal research to explain the fundamentals of marijuana cultivation, processing and use. His latest book is “The Newbie’s Guide to Cannabis and the Industry.”
As director of the Cannabis Consumers Campaign, Norris advocates for consumers to come out of the (cannabis) closet to end the stigma and stand up for their equal rights. From 1995 to 2002, she worked to put a human face on the injustice of the Drug War with her traveling photo exhibit project, Human Rights and the Drug War, and her compelling book, “Shattered Lives: Portraits from America's Drug War.” (1998, 2000). In 2006, she was a consultant on the California Cities Campaign, working with the political consulting group Next Generation (backed by the Marijuana Policy Project), which ran victorious initiative campaigns in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and Santa Cruz, Calif., and passed city ordinances in West Hollywood and San Francisco to make adult marijuana offenses law enforcement’s lowest priority. Norris was also a delegate to Beyond 2008 NGO Forum in Vancouver, BC Canada, to provide input on the United Nations drug policy.
Conrad and Norris were volunteer coordinators for California’s 1996 Prop 215 voter initiative that legalized medical use. Conrad helped write that state’s SB-420 legislation that legalized patient sales, and the couple worked on the unsuccessful Proposition 19 and then the successful Proposition 64, which legalized adult-use cannabis in California in 2016. Curators of Amsterdam’s Hash-Marihuana-Hemp Museum and the Oaksterdam Cannabis Museum, they teach at Oaksterdam University and run theLeafOnline.com news site.
In a special Cannabis Conference Keynote Fireside Chat on Aug. 23 at 2:15 p.m. PT, Conrad and Norris will share the amazing stories and actionable strategies behind their 30-plus years of activism, which propelled lofty ideals and dreams into real-life solutions that have slowly eroded the mindsets and policies of unjust prohibition and incarceration for cannabis and hemp production and use. The pair will also share tips for how individuals and companies across the supply chain can work to expand the protections of their consumer base, as well as move toward a more sustainable industry for all.
“It is a true honor to host these trailblazing individuals at an event filled with people who have directly benefitted from their courageous activism,” Noelle Skodzinski, Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference Editorial Director said.
On July 11, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed cannabis banking legislation to protect businesses' access to financial services, but what does this mean for the state's industry?
Michael Sampson, a partner with Pittsburgh-based law firm Leech Tishman, says ultimately, the legislation "allows financial institutions and insurance companies to transact business with the Commonwealth cannabis industry [in Pennsylvania], which is medical only, without fear of prosecution or adverse consequence, just because they're doing business with the cannabis industry."
RELATED: Pennsylvania Governor Signs Cannabis Banking Legislation Into Law
Sampson says he anticipates that if and when Pennsylvania legalizes cannabis for recreational use, the state will amend the legislation to apply to the adult-use industry.
He says that the measure is mostly symbolic, reaffirming the state's protection of the cannabis industry, adding that there was no real risk of financial institutions or insurance companies being prosecuted for doing business with the industry before.
He believes the bill was driven by the U.S. Senate’s inaction on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would provide protections to financial institutions doing business with the state-legal cannabis industry at the federal level. The cannabis banking legislation has "passed the U.S. House five times between 2019 and 2021, including twice as a standalone bill, but stalled before making headway in the Senate each time," Cannabis Business Times previously reported.
A social equity applicant is taking legal action after being denied an adult-use cannabis business license in Connecticut.
The state’s Social Equity Council approved 16 adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses earlier this month from a pool of 41 applicants.
The licensees meet Connecticut’s social equity requirements, which include specifications on income and residency, as well as a rule that the business is at least 65% owned by the social equity applicant.
The Social Equity Council was created by the Legislature through Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis law, which Gov. Ned Lamont signed last summer. The council is tasked with overseeing the rollout of the state’s adult-use market to ensure it benefits those most adversely impacted by the war on drugs.
After a false start in early June, Ascend Wellness Holdings is determined to officially launch adult-use cannabis sales by the first weekend in August at its existing medical dispensary in Montclair Township, N.J.
The New York-based multistate operator (MSO) prematurely began serving adult-use customers at its North Jersey location during a 3 1/2-hour window on June 7—believing it had the green light to do so—only to be informed by township officials that the company was in violation of a zoning ordinance for the new clientele base.
RELATED: Zoning Ordinance Halts Ascend Wellness Dispensary Sales in New Jersey
Ascend officials submitted their conditional use permit application to Montclair regulators June 6—the day before the premature sales launch. Despite having state approval to expand their Montclair operation to adult use, they have been waiting for final approval at the municipal level ever since.
In a letter written to interim township attorney Paul Burr on July 26, Ascend’s general counsel, Douglas Fischer, warned that the company would take legal action if the Montclair licensing approval process is delayed further, Montclair Local reported.
“Ascend desires to continue to work collaboratively with the township to commence adult-use cannabis sales by the first weekend of August,” Fischer wrote in the letter. “However, please keep in mind that Ascend is a publicly traded company with duties to its shareholders and other stakeholders, all of whom rightfully expect that Ascend will commence adult-use cannabis sales in Montclair imminently.”
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. July 27, 2022 --PRESS RELEASE--Cogent Bank , a full-service financial institution and one ofthe leading banks in the southeastern U.S. region, today announced apartnership with Green Check Verified, a fintech provider of compliantcannabis banking solutions and services. Through this partnership, Cogent plansto offer their full suite of products and services to the entire supply chainof businesses within the cannabis banking ecosystem.
Asthe cannabis industry matures in Florida and federal legalization effortscontinue, the climate around cannabis banking has clearly shifted. Not only aremore FIs participating in the industry, but the financial offerings beingprovided to legal cannabis businesses continue to expand. Despite progress,these legal businesses still have substantial financial services needs thathave not been met.
Cogentis providing a solution by rolling out a program that treats cannabisbusinesses like any other client. This includes providing deposit and treasurymanagement services and even certain types of loans that have been notoriouslydifficult to obtain in the industry.
“Innovation,an entrepreneurial spirit, and the desire to help underserved businesses havealways driven the initiatives at Cogent Bank,” says Chris Hartman, ChiefDeposit Officer at Cogent Bank. “The cannabis industry is rapidly growing, andbusinesses need the same financial services as others. We are committed tobeing a financial partner to businesses in this space, and our partnership withGreen Check gives us tremendous confidence as we grow this program.”
Cogenthas already experienced significant interest in its program from regionalcannabis businesses who are excited about the innovative offerings from aninstitution of its size. Now Cogent’s clients can tap into GCV’s platform,which not only serves as a complete, end-to-end program management solution forthe bank, but also greatly reduces the compliance burden placed on cannabisbusinesses.
“GreenCheck is the leader in this space, providing a platform and oversight forCogent to be successful in this industry,” says Hartman. “The company’sflexibility in working with clients who utilize a wide variety of POS systemsallows us to easily monitor transactions and feel comfortable in our clients’compliance with state regulations.”
Guam legalized adult-use cannabis in 2019, and officials are ready to take the next steps in standing up the industry.
The Department of Revenue and Taxation will start accepting adult-use cannabis business license applications Aug. 29, according a Pacific Daily News report, although Dafne Mansapit Shimizu, the department’s director, said during a July 25 meeting of the Cannabis Control Board that officials “will not be able to entertain the licensing applications” by that date.
The board plans to hold another meeting before the applications go live, although a meeting date has not yet been set, Pacific Daily News reported.
Guam’s adult-use cannabis regulations took effect May 29, allowing adults to legally grow, possess and consume cannabis, although it remains illegal to sell until the commercial market launches, according to Pacific Daily News.
The island’s 2019 cannabis law mandates that regulators must begin accepting applications from cultivators, manufacturers, testing labs and dispensaries no more than 90 days after the rules took effect, which is Aug. 29.
NEW YORK and LEAMINGTON, Ontario, July 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --PRESS RELEASE-- Tilray Brands, Inc.(Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), a global cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended May 31, 2022. All financial information in this press release is reported in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated, and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”).
Irwin D. Simon, Tilray Brands’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Over the past year, we have accelerated the optimization of our operations and sharpened execution against our most profitable core business opportunities in medical, adult-use, wellness, and beverage-alcohol across Canada, Europe, and the U.S. At the same time, we accelerated our growth potential through tactical execution and strategic initiatives that enable accelerated revenue growth through improved cultivation, brand building, and distribution. These actions should also contribute to bottom-line performance improvement through production efficiencies and cost reductions. The outcome of this work is that we have driven top line growth across our markets, significantly improved our operating performance, and strengthened our balance sheet.”
He continued, “We are confident that our proactive steps to plan for the evolution of the cannabis business in each of our markets has positioned Tilray Brands to be at the forefront of the industry on a global basis while delivering profitability and driving shareholder value.”
Financial Highlights - 2022 Fiscal Fourth Quarter1
Net revenue grew 8% to $153.3 million during the fourth quarter from $142.2 million in the prior year quarter. On a constant currency basis, net revenue increased 14.5%.Net loss of $457.8 million during the fourth quarter compared to net income of $33.6 million in the prior year quarter. Net loss in the fiscal 2022 fourth quarter includes a non-cash impairment of $395.0 million primarily impacting inventory, goodwill and other intangible assets. The impact was related to changes in market opportunities causing a shift in our strategic priorities, and market conditions inclusive of higher rates of borrowing and lower foreign exchange rates.Adjusted EBITDA of $11.5 million, marking the company’s 13th consecutive quarter of positive Adjusted EBITDA.Financial Highlights- 2022 Fiscal Year
Net revenue increased 22% to $628.4 million during fiscal 2022 from $513.1 million in the prior fiscal year. The increase was driven by 17.9% growth in cannabis net revenue to $237.5 million, a 150.0% increase in beverage alcohol net revenue of $71.5 million, and a 928.8% increase in wellness net revenue to $59.6 million. On a constant currency basis, net revenue increased by 29%.Net loss of $434 million in fiscal 2022 includes the non-cash impairment of $395.0 million in the fourth quarter (discussed above).Adjusted EBITDA increased 17.8% to $48.0 million in fiscal year 2022 from $40.8 million in the prior fiscal year.Ended the year with a strong balance sheet and liquidity, including cash and cash equivalents of $415.9 million.Cost-Saving Synergies and Strengthened Balance Sheet
MIAMI,July 28, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Ayr Wellness Inc., a leading vertically integrated U.S.multistate cannabis operator, announced the availability of its premium wholeflower brand, Kynd, statewide in Pennsylvania. The company is also announcingthe opening of AYR Indiana, the company’s ninth affiliated medical dispensaryin the commonwealth on July 30th.
“BringingKynd to Pennsylvania continues the introduction of our diverse portfolio ofbranded products to each of the markets we serve,” said Jonathan Sandelman, founder,chairman and CEO of Ayr. “Additionally, we’re excited to introduce the AYRexperience and our high-quality offerings to the medical patients of IndianaCounty and neighboring areas. We’ve received a tremendous reception from thelocal community and look forward to serving them.”
Theinitial launch of Kynd in Pennsylvania includes five strain offerings: “FriedCream,” “Watermelon Gelato #36,” “Kush Cream,” “The Glove,” and “Motor Breath.”Kynd is now available in all nine of the company’s affiliated Pennsylvaniastores. Kynd is also sold in Ayr-owned and third party retail locationsthroughout Massachusetts, Arizona, Florida, and most notably Nevada, where ithas been the leading flower brand for nine straight months, per BDSA.
Locatedat 2244 Oakland Ave., AYR Indiana is the first medical cannabis dispensary inIndiana County, which lies just east of Pittsburgh. The 2,500-square-foot retailspace will offer medical patients access to flower, vaporizers, concentrates,ingestibles, tinctures and topicals through a wide variety of national andlocal brands.
]]>Normalizing cannabis could go a step further under new legislation aimed at allowing industry-related radio and TV advertising.
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Advertising Act on July 26 in Washington, D.C. The 13-page bill would establish federal protections for radio and television stations that provide advertising services to “legitimate” cannabis-related businesses and service providers for such businesses.
In other words, a radio or TV station could accept advertising for legal cannabis products if the station is licensed in a state or territory where medical or adult-use cannabis is legal.
“As more states enact common-sense cannabis legislation, it’s crucial that radio and TV stations can accept advertising without fear of losing their license,” Luján said in a press release. “With health and safety measures in place, this legislation will allow broadcasters to accept cannabis advertisements in accordance with state laws.”
Under current federal law, radio and TV stations cannot accept advertisements for legal cannabis products without risking the forfeiture of their Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-issued licenses to operate because of the status of cannabis as a federally controlled substance.
Luján chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband, which oversees the FCC, and said his legislation will help support broadcasters throughout the country.
Today, many forces are at play in making California's legal cannabis market arduous, including overproduction, the illicit market, diminishing wholesale prices, and more.
In a special 90-minute webinar July 26–presented by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference–seasoned California operators provided insights and actionable tips for how plant-touching businesses can navigate these and other challenges.
Here are 10 key insights from Angela Pih, vice president of marketing for StateHouse Holdings; Jocelyn Sheltraw, director of industry relations at Headset; Claudio Miranda, co-founder of Guild Enterprises; and Nikki Lastreto and Swami Chaitanya, co-founders of Swami Select, from their participation in the “Navigating California: Tips From Seasoned Operators + Experts” webinar.
Editor’s note: These takeaways have been edited for style, length and clarity.
1. Sales are retracting to pre-COVID levels.
“During COVID, right [at] the start of the pandemic, we saw sales spike. … There were long lines for cannabis stores. People were panic-buying cannabis, just like they were toilet paper. And then, a few months into the pandemic, we started to see a bit of retraction. And for the past 12 months, we've been seeing sales declines. … Just know if that's what you're experiencing in your business, you're not alone. The market as a whole is really retracting back to pre-COVID levels, but regardless, I think we still need to just remember, this is very exciting if we think about how big the market already is. Other, more mature markets [like] Colorado [and] Oregon, they're also experiencing similar retractions back to pre-COVID levels.” - Jocelyn Sheltraw, Director of Industry Relations, Headset
More than 390,000 signatures and nearly $6 million in backing still might not be enough in Legal Missouri 2022’s ongoing effort to place an adult-use cannabis legalization measure on this November’s ballot.
While activists from Legal Missouri, a political action committee (PAC), turned in more than double the roughly 171,500 valid signatures needed statewide, the initiative campaign has only crossed the finish line in four of the eight congressional districts so far.
To qualify a petition for the ballot, the initiative effort must include valid signatures from 8% of voters in each of at least six of the eight congressional districts.
RELATED: Missouri PAC Submits Twice the Signatures Needed for Cannabis Measure
As of July 26, Legal Missouri was short 1,573 signatures in the 6th Congressional District, which extends across the northern region of the state, and 1,444 signatures short in the 7th Congressional District, which includes Springfield in the southwestern corner of the state, The Missouri Independent reported.
However, the shortfall in the 7th District was reported differently, at 405 valid signatures shy of what’s needed, by CBS-affiliate KCTV: 29,608 of the 30,013 valid signatures needed had been verified by local election authorities and sent to Missouri Secretary of State John Ashcroft’s office, according to the news network.
The Medicines ControlAuthority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is looking to allow hemp-based CBD products to begiven as medicine to patients.
The MCAZ posted a letter to Twitter July 26 informing all licensed cannabis/hemp producers,manufacturers, importers/exporters and retail pharmacists that the organizationis now accepting and reviewing applications for the approval of sellinghemp-based CBD products as complementary medicines to patients, under certainconditions, Bloomberg reported.
Some conditions includesubmitting product samples and a certificate of analysis, stating theindications, warning and contraindications, and more.
The MCAZ stated at the end ofthe letter, “Any hemp-based CBD product applications that do not meet thecriteria above may not be approved for distribution and will be confiscated.Further, sellers may be prosecuted for selling unapproved complementarymedicines.”
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The U.S. House has once again approved legislation to expand cannabis research, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
Lawmakers passed the bipartisan Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act July 26 with 325 votes, according to a press release from the office of Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., one of the bill’s primary sponsors.
The legislation, also sponsored by Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., aims to encourage research on cannabis and its potential benefits by streamlining the application process for researchers and removing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) barriers, according to the release.
“Research is a foundational element for cannabis policy,” Blumenauer, who is also the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said in a public statement. “At a time when there are four million registered medical marijuana patients and many more likely to self-medicate, it is crucial that researchers are able to fully study the health benefits of cannabis. For too long, the federal government has stood in the way of science and progress, creating barriers for researchers obtaining resources and approval to study cannabis. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is an important first step to changing that.”
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act largely mirrors the Senate’s Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act, which Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, filed in March.
Following the filing of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) on July 21, the U.S. Senate held a hearing on federal cannabis legalization, Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms, on July 26.
The hearing was conducted by the Senate Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, and presided by Chairman Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) as well as ranking member Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
RELATED: Industry Advocates, Stakeholders Appraise Schumer’s Cannabis Bill
Witnesses present at Tuesday’s hearing were Weldon Angelos, president and co-founder for The Weldon Project (read testimony here); Dr. Malik Burnett, medical director for the Maryland Department of Health's Center for Harm Reduction Services (testimony); Edward Jackson, chief for the Annapolis Police Department (testimony); Steven H. Cook, former associate deputy attorney general (testimony); and Alex Berenson, author and former New York Times reporter (testimony).
Booker, who joined Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in filing the CAOA, delivered the opening remarks during Tuesday’s hearing.
“It’s clear now after decades of evidence that the federal cannabis prohibition has failed,” Booker said. “It has failed to make our communities safer, it has failed to reflect modern science, contemporary values across the political spectrum, and its miserably failed a lot of our most vulnerable people in America.”